COLLEGE FOOTBALL: Rutgers' Huggins ready to step into role as starter

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Savon Huggins hasn't lived up to lofty expectations when he was one of the top running back recruits in the nation, but now entering his junior season, Huggins is ready to take over the starting role at Rutgers.

PISCATAWAY — Savon Huggins is a starter now. But as the junior’s well-documented two-year history at Rutgers suggests, it might not be the smoothest transition.

Huggins will work behind a retooled offensive line, adjust to a new running philosophy and listen to a third offensive coordinator in as many seasons.

But delving deeper, everything might be starting to fall in place for the Jackson native.

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“I’m a starter now,” Huggins said Wednesday at the Hale Center, “so it’s a different perspective.”

It begins with playcaller Ron Prince, who began implementing a new run scheme when he arrived in the spring. Prince calls for a zone-blocking system Huggins said is designed to set up running backs against safeties and linebackers in space.

“I ran a lot of it in high school (at St. Peter’s Prep), and then I got away from it a little in college,” Huggins said. “Now I’m going to back to what I ran before.”

He said he was familiar with Prince before he was hired Feb. 19 since two former St. Peter’s Prep players were on the roster at Virginia, Prince’s last stop as an offensive coordinator from 2003-05.

In the short term, Prince’s philosophy could be a work in progress.

Rutgers trotted out primarily straight-line backs for the last half-decade, ending a season ago with Jawan Jamison’s burst for 1,075 yards. Now Huggins and the team’s other backs will have to read a number of keys, including “zone schemes, the way the line sets up their blocks, misdirections in the backfield,” Huggins said.

Even if Huggins picks up the system quickly, the five linemen in front of him will largely determine his success. Huggins said the Scarlet Knights ran some zone-blocking calls last season, but he’s noticed a significant increase under Prince.

Rutgers returns four of five linemen from an offense that ranked seventh in the Big East in rushing in 2012. But head coach Kyle Flood’s last glimpse at the unit in the spring featured two newcomers, sophomore Keith Lumpkin and redshirt freshman Chris Muller.

Muller supplanted All-Big East First Team guard Antwan Lowery, so the move could only be a smokescreen.

Huggins does not mind the first change, since it moves Kaleb Johnson, Huggins’ roommate, inside to left guard.

“I have confidence in the coaching staff to make the best decisions to put people on the field,” Huggins said. “It’s great that Keith Lumpkin, I can play with him now, going back to our high school days (as St. Peter’s Prep teammates).”

Huggins said a stricter diet, one revolving water and lean protein, has been a priority. He called the last two seasons, in which he started only twice, “a learning experience” after a high school career that made him the top player in the state.

And he understands the responsibility that comes with the No. 1 spot on Rutgers’ depth chart.

“I’m not going to lie about that,” Huggins said.

To that end, he meets with Prince and running backs coach Norries Wilson at least once a week. Huggins pores over film with Prince, combing spring practice clips and dissecting his decision-making.

“I have two years left,” Huggins said, “so I have to make the best of it.”